Percussion-fuse for projectiles.



G, w. sTRuBLE L w.-L. LUKENS,

PERCUSSION FUSE FOR PROIECTILES APPLICATION FILED MAR. I5, 1916.

151 89,403, Patented July I, 1916.

v of the chamber by a coiled spring 16 but move forward' when thefitting and UivrrED ySTATES PATENT, oEEicE.

GEORGE WALLACE STRUBLE AND WILLIAM L. LUKENS, OF BETHLEHEINL' PENNS-YL-'f VANIA, ASSIGNORS TO BETHLEHEM STEEL COMPANY, OF SOUTH BETHLEHEM,

PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION PENNSYLVANIA.

1I?EBCUSSION-FUSE FOR PROJECTILES.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known thatl We, GEORGE VALLACE STRUBLE and VILLIAM LESLIE LUKENS, citi- Zens of the United States, and residents of Bethlehem, Northampton county', and Bethlehem, Lehigh county, respectively, State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain Vnew and useful Improvements in Percussion- Fuses for Projectiles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to fuses for exploding projectiles and more vparticularly to safety devices for percussion fuses.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a fuse of this class in which the bursting charge of thev projectile is prevented from being ignited prematurely, even though the primer be accidentally detonated. j

The invention will befdescribed in connection with the accompanying drawings, in

which,

Figu're 1 is a longitudinal sectional vie-w of a fuse embodying our invention, 'the parts being shown occupying their relative positions beforeV the impactv of the shell; Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the relative positions of the parts after impact; and Fig. 3 is a horizontal cross-section along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that the fuse comprises three main parts, namely, the body 10, the removable tip 11 and the removable stock 1 2 at the lowerend of the body. The tip 11 and the stock ,12 are threaded into the opposite ends of a cylindrical opening which extends axially through the body of the fuse` the diameter of this passageway being varied at different places. The upper end of this opening forms an enlarged cylindrical plunger chamber 13. The t'ip 11 is removably secured to the body by means of a boss 14 threaded into the upper end of the chamber 13 and stock 12 is likewise threaded into the lower end of the axial opening in the body. Vithin the chamber 13 is a plunger 15 which is normally spring seated on the bottom which is free to projectile is suddenly arrested.. The' plunn ger 15` hasa rearward axial extension 17 vSpecification of Letters Patent.

sliding in a. contracted part of.

the axial opening, fora purpose to be presently explained. Y

Intersecting the contracted part of the axial opening, and arranged at right angles' thereto, is a second cylindrical openingflSv which extends from the outer surface of' the fuse about lthree-quarters of the disl Patented July 4,1916. sppiicauonmednarehis,191e. seriaimsmss.' l I l This opening closed and protected by the wall of the projectile, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1. Located in this opening are the primer 20 and the hammer 21 for detonating the primer. The hammer 21 is tubular and is of considerable length, having only a comparatively short play between the inner end of the opening and the primer 20, which is screw threaded into the outer' end. The outer end of the hammer 21 has a plug 22 screw threaded therein, on which is formed a firing pin 23 which is adapted to explode the primer when the hammer is actuated. Flashports 21 are also provided in the plug 22 so that the fiash from the primer may I.

pass into the interior of the hammer. A partition 25 divides the interior of the ham. mer into two chambers, the forward chamber 26 being adapted to -form a portion of the flame conduit between the primer and the bursting charge, while the rearward chamber- 27 forms a container for the -coil spring 28 which bears against the end wall oi' the opening 18 and the partition 25 and normally` tends to force the hammer' against the primer 20.'

Extending diametricallythrough the partition 25 in the hammer isan opening 29 which serves as a part of the flame conduit from the primer to the bursting -charge and to receive the to act as a retainer for the hammer and-a wall between the opening 29 and the chamextension- 17 of the plunger 100 valve to close the flame conduit. Iny the ber 26 thereis an opening 30.Which is norj mally closed by the extension 17, as shown in Fig. l. I l; j The function of *he opening 29 -is two- As before' explained, the plunger 15 is normally held seated on the bottom of the chamber 13 by the spring 16. l/Vhen in this position the axial extension 17 of the plunger extends into the opening Q9 at least a 'I sufficient ldistance to completely close the in Figs. 1 and 3 of thedrawings. d iately in front of the port 30 in the champort 30.- This position of the parts is shown Immeber '26 vare two disks 32 and 33 of tinfoil and brass, respectively, or any other preferred form of obtuiator which are maintained in a vertical vposition to close the port by vany suitable means. These disks coact with the extension 17 'of the plunger to 'keep the flame from the primer from pass'- ing lthe port 30 and igniting the bursting charge upon accidental detonation of the primer. tension 17 the disks 32, 33 will not seriously impede the progress of the flame.

Arranged axially of the fuse andl immediately under the hammer 21 is a flash port 3l of such diameter that the opening in the hammer communicates therewith when the hammer has moved toward the right to fire the primer, as shown in Fig. 2.

lUnder the flash port 3,4 is' a cylindrical cavity 35 arranged centrally in the upper end of the stock 12 and which is adapted to con- Y taina powder pellet. A duct or conduit 3G extends downwardly from this cavity through thev stock and has an opening in ct with flic bursting charge of the pro- .lflamped between the stock 12 and Ase body and arranged to separate e flash port 5f-'l and the cavity 35 is a sheliac coated muslin disk 37, which keeps powder from the powder pellet from passing upwardly and hindering the free action of the hammer.- rI`he disk 37, however, willnot prevent the' passage of flame therethrough to ignite the powder pellet. In order that the hammer be not impeded in its firing movement by the formation of a partial vacuum behind it, holes 38 are made in the cylindrical wall thereof behind the partition 25 so .that air may have ready ingress.

From the above 'description the operation of our invention will be apparent and it will only be necesary to refer to it briefly. While the projectile is in storage and during flight when fired from a gun, the positions. of the hammer and plunger are as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the plunger performing the double function of holding the hammer in its retracted position and of Without the support of the exthe primer.

vplunger 15 will carry it forward, compressing the spring 16 and opening the flash port and releasing the hammer 21. The hainmei' is immediately forced to the right by the spring 28 and the firing pin 9.3- contacts with and explodes the primer 20. The flash from the primer Q0 instantly passes through the conduit, which has thus opened between the primer and the powder pellet, and ignites the latter. The disks 32, 33 yield to the pressure'when the port 30 is opened and the inuslin disk isconsumed or burst. The flaslifi'om the powder pellet in turn travels through the duct or conduit 36 and ignites the bursting charge of the projectile.

lFrom the foregoing description it is apparent that our improved fuse .is simple and easy to construct, certain of operation, and will prevent at all times bursting of the projectilev due to the premature ignition of Having thus described the invention what is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is 1. A percussion fuse for projectiles comprising a bodyhaving an axial openingtherein andv a radial opening intersecting the axial opening, a hammerin the radial opening having a longitudinal flame passage and having a transverse perforation adapted to aline with the radial opening, a plunger in the axial opening arranged to normally. extend into the perforation in the hammer to lock the hammer and close the flame passage, a primer in front of the hammer, and a spring in the rear of the hammer.

2. A percussion fuse for projectiles comprising a body having an axial opening therein and a radial opening intersecting the i axial opening, a hammer in the radial opening having a longitudinal flame passage and having a transverse perforation adapted to aline with'the radial opening, a plunger in the axial opening arranged to normally extend into the perforation in the hammer t0 lock the hammer and close the flame passage, an obturator .arranged in said flame passage adjacent said plunger, a primer in front of the hammer, and a spring in the rear of the hammer.

3. A percussion fuse forprojectiles comprising a body having in axial opening therein and a radial opening intersecting the axial'opening, a hammer in the radial opening having a longitudinal {iame passage and having a transverse perforation adapted to aline with the radial opening, a plunger in the axial opening arranged to normally eX- tend into the perforation in the hammer to lock the hammer and close the flame passage, an obturator comprising athin metal disk arranged in said fiame passage adjacent said plunger, a primer in front of the hammerf and a spring in the rear of the hammer.

In testimony whereof We aflix our signatures.

GEORGE WALLACE STRUBLE. WILLIAM L. LUKENS. 

